Last Sheep Make of 2013

Andrew our favourite milk delivery person

As readers of this blog will know: for us to process 2,000 litres of sheep’s milk is hard going. We use both vats, putting 1,500 litres in the large vat and 500 in the small vat. Any more than this in either, makes it too difficult to block and cut because there is too much curd in the vat.

A moment of sadness as this is the last time we shall see out favourite milk wagon driver, Andrew, but we said a fond farewell – until next year!

We had an additional helper for our last sheep make, in the form

Stu showing SImon how to test for set

of Simon who had previously attended one of our cheese making classes in October last year. He valiantly gave Stu, Andrew and I a hand which helped to make the whole process go a little smoother and a little faster.

A good split

I was interrupted by the arrival of our potential new ratty man and we had a look around our little dairy to see what if anything needed to be changed and had a quick discussion about the rats that are plaguing my place at home. Outside, I hasten to add, near the pig food, not inside. I may have won the battle on the inside with the mice, but it is warming up outside, so it may be hard to tell. As an aside, Andrew (who doesn’t like rats or spiders and asked for the spider removal team – me, the other day) reckons that if you can see one rat, then

Stu cutting the big vat with Simon looking on; we let Simon cut the small vat

there are ten. I didn’t like to tell him how many I have seen.

More gargantuan blocks, Stu style

We had our usual competition with the number of pots. I think Andrew won with 148 pots. I can tell you, there was a lot of washing up to do on the following Monday. All in all, a good make and this will hopefully free up Fridays if we can sort out or goat make schedule.

Aaah…..best sight of the day, all cheese in the press, gouda out on the table draining to vac pack the next day, Saturday and a cleaned down dairy

The sheep cheese will be matured for a year when we will wax

Ribblesdale Original Sheep Cheese

some and naturally rind others. I really like the matured naturally rinded cheese. Even though it starts off being the same cheese, it completely changes character once it has been rinded; it is very delicate with lots of lovely flavour.